JV Ejercito asks Mayor Zamora to spare city hall employees from their political rivalry

Former senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejertcito on Friday appealed to San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora to spare the local government unit’s employees from the political rivalry of their families.

In an ANC interview, Ejercito said his relationship with Zamora “has not been the same” as the latter remained “very political” despite repeated statement that he and his mother, former San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez, have no plans to run for a local post in San Juan City.

“The problem with Mayor Francis, he has been very political here locally. The vindictiveness has not stopped. He is attacking my mother even if my mother has retired at the age of 78, 79 and he thinks that the Estradas have the intention of running again. So sa kanya (for him), we eliminate the enemy,” Ejercito said.

“And I appeal to him right now, especially, the employees who have served our city, sana ‘wag idamay (I hope they will be spared),” he added.

Ejercito cited a case of one of the employees who served as secretary since the time of his father, former President and former San Juan mayor Joseph Estrada, who did not get their retirement benefit because “they were Estrada people.”

“I think that is against the law and some have also filed before the Ombudsman because they earned those money,” he said.

Apart from that, Ejercito said a model employee of San Juan City Hall’s human resource department got depressed after he was allegedly reassigned by Zamora to the market operations.

“He went through depression because from the HR department, being a model employee, he was thrown to the market,” he claimed.

“So I’m just appealing to Mayor Francis na tayo na lang ang magbangayan (to leave the politics to us). You know these people have worked for the city and we have tried to develop our home grown talent… I’m hoping to put a stop to this, 'di na tayo magkakalaban (we are no longer enemies),” he added.

Sought for comment, Zamora told GMA News Online that he will issue a statement regarding Ejercito’s claims within the day.

In 2019, Zamora has defeated then-vice mayor Janella Estrada in the mayoral race in San Juan.

His victory ended the 49-year rule of the Estradas over the city.

Among the former mayors were Joseph Estrada, who became president in 1998;  his sons JV Ejercito and Jinggoy Estrada, who both became senators; and Guia Gomez, Estrada's former partner.—AOL, GMA News